A moment during which the New England Patriots lightning-rod coach appeared to put his hands around a female official’s neck during a game against the Eagles on Sunday raised eyebrows around the Internet

Thomas is the first full-time female game official in NFL history. This has been a difficult season, however, for her crew, which is led by referee Pete Morelli. Following what was unanimously seen as a disastrous officiating performance during last week’s game between the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, Thomas and Morelli’s officiating crew was reassigned from the NFL’s primetime Sunday night game to instead work the Patriots versus Eagles game …